Learning Brazilian Portuguese is an exciting process. However, if you want to sound like a native, textbooks won’t cut it. Brazilian Portuguese is rich in slang words and expressions that will make your language sound more natural and allow you to connect with natives on a deeper level. Regardless of whether you’re traveling to Brazil or just need to spice up your language skills, the following are some essential Brazilian slang words and expressions you need to know.
- 1. E aí? – “What’s up?”
- 2. Beleza – “Cool” or “All good”
- 3. Valeu – “Thanks”
- 4. Cara – “Dude”
- 5. Bora – “Let’s go”
- 6. Mó – “Really” or “Very”
- 7. Grana – “Money”
- 8. Ficar – “To hook up”
- 9. Zoar – “To make fun of” or “To mess around”
- 10. Pagar mico – “To embarrass yourself”
- 11. Treta – “Drama” or “Conflict”
- 12. De boa – “Chill” or “No worries”
- 13. Partiu – “I’m out” or “Let’s go”
- 14. Malandro – “Sneaky” or “Street-smart”
- 15. Rolê – “Hangout” or “Outing”
- Final Thoughts
1. E aí? – “What’s up?”
This informal greeting is the Brazilian equivalent of “What’s up?” or “How’s it going?” You’ll hear it everywhere in casual conversations.
Example: E aí, beleza? (What’s up, all good?)
2. Beleza – “Cool” or “All good”
The word beleza literally means “beauty,” but it’s often used to mean “cool” or “everything’s fine.”
Example: Vamos nos encontrar às 8? Beleza! (Let’s meet at 8? Cool!)
3. Valeu – “Thanks”
A more informal version of obrigado(a) (thank you), valeu is used with friends.
Example: Valeu pela ajuda! (Thanks for the help!)
4. Cara – “Dude”
Used to call someone, similar to “dude” or “man” in English.
Example: E aí, cara, tudo bem? (Hey dude, all good?)
5. Bora – “Let’s go”
Short for vamos embora, bora is an informal way of saying “Let’s go.”
Example: Bora pra praia? (Let’s go to the beach?)
6. Mó – “Really” or “Very”
It’s a contraction of maior (bigger), but in slang, it’s used to emphasize something.
Example: Esse filme é mó legal! (This movie is really cool!)
7. Grana – “Money”
Instead of dinheiro (money), Brazilians use grana in informal language.
Example: Não tenho grana pra isso agora. (I don’t have money for this right now.)
8. Ficar – “To hook up”
While ficar means “to stay” in formal Portuguese, in Brazilian slang it means to hook up with someone but not be dating.
Example: Eles ficaram na festa ontem. (They hooked up at the party last night.)
9. Zoar – “To make fun of” or “To mess around”
A lighthearted term used to describe making fun of someone or messing with them.
Example: Para de zoar comigo! (Stop messing with me!)
10. Pagar mico – “To embarrass yourself”
Literally meaning “to pay a monkey,” this expression is used when someone embarrasses themselves.
Example: Ele pagou o maior mico dançando no karaokê. (He embarrassed himself big time singing karaoke.)
11. Treta – “Drama” or “Conflict”
Whenever there’s a fight or argument happening, it’s a treta.
Example: O jogo teve muita treta entre os jogadores. (The game had a lot of drama among the players.)
12. De boa – “Chill” or “No worries”
A versatile phrase that means “all good” or “no problem.”
Example: Tá atrasado? De boa! (You’re late? No worries!)
13. Partiu – “I’m out” or “Let’s go”
Often used when someone is ready to leave or head somewhere.
Example: Partiu praia! (Let’s go to the beach!)
14. Malandro – “Sneaky” or “Street-smart”
A malandro is someone clever, street-smart, or sometimes a bit of a trickster.
Example: Ele é malandro, sempre sabe como ganhar um desconto. (He’s sneaky—he always knows how to get a discount.)
15. Rolê – “Hangout” or “Outing”
Going out with friends or having a social outing is a rolê.
Example: Vamos dar um rolê hoje à noite? (Let’s go hang out tonight?)
Final Thoughts
Picking up these slang words and phrases will make you sound more like a native and give your Brazilian Portuguese a more authentic feel. One thing to keep in mind: slang is informal, so be careful where and when you use it. Now that you’ve learned these words, get out there and try them out with Brazilians—vai ser mó legal!
